Buckle.



G. P. NUTTER.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.17, 1911.

1,020,925. Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOOIAPH :01, WASMINnToN. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES P. NUTTER, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUCKLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. Nu'r'rnn, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clasps or fasteners designed for use on overshoes and similar articles, and has for its object the product-ion of an article of this class which will lie substantially flat when in use and be free from projections liable to engage with the clothing upon the wearer. For this reason clasps embodying the features of the present invention are particularly adapted for use on ladies over-shoes, as there are no projections that are apt to catch on the laces or embroideries of a skirt.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of the clasp or buckle drawn to an enlarged scale and shown in the position the two members assume when in use. Fig. 2 represents a similar view showing the two members moved into a position to disconnect. Fig. 3 represents a plan of one of the members, and Fig. 4: represents a plan of the other member.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 represents an elongated member or strip made out of sheet metal and given any required curve, such as for instance, that shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This strip is provided with a plurality of slots or engaging portions 11 at intervals along its length. One end of this member 10 is provided with some kind of a securing means, as, for instance, the link 12, by which it may be secured to a strap or other member. The other member 13 of the clasp is provided at one end with a similar link 14, by which the member 13 may be secured to another strap or other member. The sides of the member 13 are bent downwardly to form stiffening ribs 15, and intermediate the side ribs 15 a spring tongue 16 is stamped from Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 17, 1911.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Serial No. 615,090.

the material, leaving an opening 17 in the body of the member 13, which is substantially the width of the member 10 and is adapted to receive this member.

From the opening 17 is cut a. narrower opening 18, extending therefrom toward the free end of the member 13. At the extreme outer end of the narrower opening 18 two slits are cut into the material, and the portion of the material between these slits is turned down to form a projection 19, which is adapted to engage one of the slots 11 in the member 10 when in use.

The spring tongue 16 is provided with an extension 20 stamped from the body of the member 13 when the opening 18 is formed, this extension terminating adjacent to the projection 19 and having its outer end curved upwardly to form a bend which will engage with one of the slots 11 when the projection 19 is engaging the next adjacent slot. \Vhen the member 10 is inserted into the opening 17 it passes above the spring tongue 16 as is indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the shoulders 21 at the outer end of the opening 17 forming a suitable fulcrum on which the member 10 is adapted to be moved.

It is obvious that by varying the distance between the shoulders 21 and the tongue 19 a greater or lesser leverage may be obtained. hen the member 10 has been inserted into the opening 17 a sullicient distance and the projection 19 is opposite the slot with which it is desired to engage, the members 10 and 13 are forced downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 1, and the projection 19 enters the slot 11, the free end of the member 10 resting on the upper face of the member 13 and the bent portion 22 will engage with the shoulders formed by the next adjacent slot 11. l/Vhen in this position the spring 16 will retain the two members in engagement and any separating strain brought to bear upon these members will have the effect of more securely locking them together.

When it is desired to disconnect the members 10 and 13 it is necessary to lift upon the free end of the member 13 to bring the two members 10 and 13 into the position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, when they may be readily separated. This makes a very convenient form of clasp or buckle in which the two complemental parts are each died from a single piece of sheet metal, thus making it possible to construct the clasp or buckle at a very small expense, While, as is obvious from an inspection of the drawings, when the buckle is in use there are no projections which are liable to become caught in the clothing of the wearer and thereby in,- jure the same.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention will be thoroughly understood without any further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An article of the class described, comprising two complemental members, one being elongated with a plurality of engaging portions at intervals along its length, and the other having an opening to receive said elongated member and a projection to engage one of said engaging portions positioned between said opening and the free end of said receiving member.

2. An article of the class described, comprising two complemental members, one be ing elongated with a plurality of slots therein at intervals along its length, and the other having an opening adapted to receive said slotted member, and a narrower opening extending toward its free end and terminating in a projection adpted to engage one of said slots.

3. An article of the class described, com prising two'complemental members, one being elongated with a plurality of slots therein at intervals along its length, and the other having an opening to receive said slotted member the end of which forms a fulcrum for said slotted member; a projection on the latter member intermediate its end and said fulcrum adapted to engage one of said slots; and a spring having an end narrower than said slotted member adapted to bear upon the under face of said slotted member intermediate said fulcrum and said projection.

Signed by me at 4 Post Oflice Square,

Boston, Mass, this 2nd day of November, 1910.

CHARLES P. NUTTER. Witnesses NATHAN C. LoMBARD, MARY C. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of IPatents, Washington, D. C. i 

